By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
With all the hubbub about short and sweet writing in this attention-deficit disordered culture, shorter isn’t always better when it comes to resumes.
Here are 3 reasons why:
1. Context matters. While lean and mean rules when it comes to copywriting, muscle still matters....

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
Recently, after submitting to a series of niggly life and business annoyances and aggravations my grumbly, ‘whiny’ behavior mounted. I was becoming, as they say, insufferable.
As a result, my husband (Rob) lovingly suggested, “Why don’t you just get over...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
With an uptick in job opportunities, employees are becoming more optimistic. As a result, those who have been hunkered down, awaiting the economic storm to pass are resurfacing now, and if they don’t like what they see, they are on the hunt for better opportunities. Are...

Yesterday, for a short while, I felt a little glum for no particular reason.
The sun was shining, and the temps rose to nearly 70 degrees at Lake Texoma. Add to that, I live in view of a 90,000-acre lake in North Texas, and I have the luxury of a couple hundred yard commute to work in a separate...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
1. Waiting until you have “time” before you reshape your resume story.
A resume needs to be fit, and as you add weeks, months and years of new experience to your career body, your resume becomes overweight and out of shape. Routinely (yearly is ideal), you must take...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
The trendy message to network your way into a new job often drowns out an even more important directive.
While your friend or professional contact may recommend you as a perfect fit, if your qualifications meet 75% of the requirements and another non-networked...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
There are mixed messages in the value of a cover letter. In one instance, a recruiter proclaims, “Never waste your time on a cover letter. I never read them,” while in the next instance, in an equally insistent manner, a hiring decision maker says, “Always...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
For some, Facebook is a natural extension of your career and personal brand, adding value to your story. For others, Facebook is a locked-down arsenal used solely to swap pictures and personal updates with your innermost circle.
For careerists who have chosen the second option,...

Frozen by the cold harsh realities of job search in today’s ever-shifting and often-brutal economic climate? Here are 4 counterintuitive steps you can take to help thaw things out:
1. Write thank-you letters or call someone (friend, family member, co-worker, former boss) to let them know you...

By Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter
A fan questioned Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” on why he said that “follow your passion” was the worst advice he’d ever received. A snippet of Rowe’s response follows:
“… I would never advise anyone to ‘follow their passion’...